Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Family Newsletter - Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas! We hope you are doing well and that this year has been a good one for you. We officially survived our first year of parenting, moved, and Nick has a new job. What a difference a year makes. We feel very blessed this time of year for great family and friends. We hope you enjoy reading about our year (and looking at pictures of our cute baby).

Having a baby in the winter is stressful, but this last winter was the worst in Boston, ever. And that is no exaggeration. Kristi and Evan were lucky that they didn't have to leave very often except for doctor's appointments. Nick was not as lucky, having to take buses to bypass the train lines that were shut down into Boston and having to trudge through feet of snow to get to and from work. After the big storms were over, we were so happy to watch the Patriots win the Super Bowl! Evan slept through the last half of the game, but celebrated in his Brady jersey.

(Picture is outside our apartment as Kristi was walking to recover from her c-section)

In March, we were lucky to have Kristi's parents come out to visit. They hung out with Evan and got out of the house on a few adventures. We visited Plymouth and Plymouth Rock and got to learn about some of our ancestors who came across on the Mayflower - they're infamous! We were so lucky to have some of our family together for Evan's blessing as well.

We traveled out to Utah in April to show off Evan to all our family and friends. We had so much fun getting out of the city and spending time with some of our favorite people. We went to Provo and took Evan to BYU's campus for the first time (we moved away when Kristi was three months pregnant). He met his Nana and Bumpa, some aunts and uncles, and several of his cousins for the first time.

We were lucky to spend a lot of time in Maine this summer - sneaking away for the weekend and spending time on the ocean, or at Papa's camp on the lake. This was Evan's first visit to the ocean while we had dinner on the beach... he was unimpressed and slept through the whole thing.

In June, we moved out of the city as Nick quit his job as an IT consultant to become an owner/operator of a Jimmy John's franchise. Nick's store will service a large business park, will have a drive thru and will hopefully be open next year. We moved out closer to New Hampshire and Nick took off to training the same day that we moved. Kristi spent three weeks unpacking and hanging out with Evan while Nick trained in Illinois and Indiana. Nick flew home just in time to celebrate the end of his first father's day with Evan.

After a short break, Nick headed back out for another training, this one in Kentucky. Nick came home for the fourth of July weekend and the three of us flew out for the last three weeks of training in Kentucky. Living in a hotel with a baby was an adventure, but we survived. Nick was working hard training as a manager, waking up at 4 am to work, and then coming home to explore Kentucky with Kristi and Evan. We visited Metropolis, Illinois, to see the Superman statue that puts the town on the map. We survived the heat of Kentucky in the summer and Kristi and Evan explored the National Quilt Museum, and walked along the banks of the Tennessee and Ohio River daily.

In August, we celebrated the start of the BYU football season by searching for the BYU50box, a scavenger hunt for a box filled with BYU memorabilia, with one for every state. We got really close to finding the one in Maine, but someone beat us to it! We were glad that it was in such a scenic spot though, as we watched the sun set over Portland, Maine, from a lighthouse that evening.

In October, Kristi and Evan flew by themselves to Utah to visit family. They had so much fun seeing everyone but missed having Nick around. They drove down to see Nana and Bumpa and much of the Sherwood family. They spent some time at the Dinosaur Park in Ogden and Evan wasn't super fond of the Jurassic Park-style animatronics they had inside, but enjoyed walking among dinosaurs.

Hazel and Claire playing on dinosaur bones

We always enjoy the fall out here in New England. We went apple picking with Steve and Carlie and definitely enjoyed the dozen apple cider donuts that followed.

Then, to end our year and remind of us how fleeting and fast this year was, Evan turned one year old. Our amazing little guy is babbling, playing, and flirting with everyone he meets. He is the friendliest person we know and we feel so lucky to have our little family.

We are so grateful to have loving family and friends who are with us in spirit throughout every phase of our life. We always wish that we could spend more time with you and be closer to everyone we love. Keep in touch and have a Merry Christmas!

1 comment:

Thank you so much for you 'Records" of the highlights of your life. I should do the same but I can't seem to slow down long enough. This is been the craziest December with health problems, and not the usual, but different ones. We are ok though, so don't worry. Had a wonderful family Christmas party, had a program, and it was very spiritual. Wish you could have seen the teens and preteens, they were speechless. Stay healthy and happy and we think of you guys so often. Every time I can get my hands on a new picture, I print it and it goes on our fridge...you know Nana and her "gallery"! Love you guys, sending love, big hugs and kisses, and have a Merry Christmas, Nana